Authoritarianism Poll

[Laika]

These are very strange times politically. If you think about it, we are seeing the rise of an authoritarian populism in many parts of the world yet pretty much no-one is willing to public identify as an authoritarian. It's like someone saying "I'm a racist" or "I'm a sexist". It just doesn't happen that often.

The Right say they are defending free speech from control by elites and liberating the people (or corporations) from "big government" and the Left say they are defending the rights of various oppressed or deprived minority groups or "freeing" poor people from socio-economic distress. Both tend to claim to support freedom of the press but only "alternative" media, not controlled by "elites". So What these groups have in common is actually the rhetoric of "freedom".

The number of those who openly profess to support totalitarian systems, such as Nazism, Fascism and Marxist-Leninist communism is remarkably small (and most of those who do are edgy teenagers who can't be taken seriously). Even as we may make comparisons with the 1930's and 1940's, there isn't a mass movement with the explicit intention of destroying democracy. It's weird to think that we've achieved to level of intellectual conformity of an authoritarian dictatorship without a central authority deciding what we can or cannot believe.

I know that Religiousforums.com is, a basically a free love commune of peace-loving hippies according to our political compass results, but I'm still curious is there is anyone out there who identifies as "authoritarian".

(Voted "Yes-somewhat authoritarian/it depends" as there are certain circumstances I think you need a strong central government to stay off social chaos, but not necessarily as a permanent or "ideal" arrangement.)

So, does anyone out there secretly long for an autocrat? or become one?

And just for fun and to keep it interesting- if you could be the ruler of a nation what would your title be? God Emperor? Master? Supreme Overlord of my little play things?

 

[sun rise]

pretty much no-one is willing to public identify as an authoritarian

There are those who are authoritarian as a result of the "duck test" since they support authoritarian rulers.

So, does anyone out there secretly long for an autocrat? or become one?

I've thought that a benevolent despot was the ideal ruler. But finding someone truly benevolent and having a way to get rid of that ruler when they are no longer benevolent are impossible.

if you could be the ruler of a nation what would your title be? God Emperor? Master? Supreme Overlord

Servant of the People. Because my lust for power would ensure that my Ministry of Truth lied about how despotic I really was. The title would be part of the lie.

 

[Nakosis]

These are very strange times politically. If you think about it, we are seeing the rise of an authoritarian populism in many parts of the world yet pretty much no-one is willing to public identify as an authoritarian. It's like someone saying "I'm a racist" or "I'm a sexist". It just doesn't happen that often.

The Right say they are defending free speech from control by elites and liberating the people (or corporations) from "big government" and the Left say they are defending the rights of various oppressed or deprived minority groups or "freeing" poor people from socio-economic distress. Both tend to claim to support freedom of the press but only "alternative" media, not controlled by "elites". So What these groups have in common is actually the rhetoric of "freedom".

The number of those who openly profess to support totalitarian systems, such as Nazism, Fascism and Marxist-Leninist communism is remarkably small (and most of those who do are edgy teenagers who can't be taken seriously). Even as we may make comparisons with the 1930's and 1940's, there isn't a mass movement with the explicit intention of destroying democracy. It's weird to think that we've achieved to level of intellectual conformity of an authoritarian dictatorship without a central authority deciding what we can or cannot believe.

I know that Religiousforums.com is, a basically a free love commune of peace-loving hippies according to our political compass results, but I'm still curious is there is anyone out there who identifies as "authoritarian".

(Voted "Yes-somewhat authoritarian/it depends" as there are certain circumstances I think you need a strong central government to stay off social chaos, but not necessarily as a permanent or "ideal" arrangement.)

So, does anyone out there secretly long for an autocrat? or become one?

And just for fun and to keep it interesting- if you could be the ruler of a nation what would your title be? God Emperor? Master? Supreme Overlord of my little play things?

Pretty much anti-authoritarian. In fact one of my high school teachers called me an anarchist.

Title, I'd actually be happy with Nakosis - psychotic under the illusion of knowing the truth. .

 

[Estro Felino]

I think...as for Europe, the leftist progressism has throughout 2010 decade, gone too far in a (sometimes) pretty chaotic way...and the rise of right-wing populism (Le Pen, Farage, Salvini, Orban...) is just a reaction to that.

These are charismatic, authoritarian leaders.

Liberalism, protecting minorities is good..but preserving identities, even national identities is good too. Likewise.

 

[Revoltingest]

My political philosophy...

 

[LuisDantas]

I don't think that I qualify, fortunately.

I don't find the Great Man Theory at all convincing. I think that we already lend our politicians far too much significance and power. And I abhor nationalism and populism with a passion.

Perhaps most significantly, I tend to blame the voters for the election results. Can you imagine that?

 

[Sinncubus-74]

While politically I'm for the most part not, I'm voting very authoritarian because for some reason I'm just...I've unironically been in need of Megalomaniacs Anonymous since early childhood?

I'm not even kidding, I literally planned to conquer the world with cat videos and pizza when I was like 8, was mapping out the plan on a piece of cardboard with Crayola markers and explaining it to my plushie "minions". 100% serious with a straight face, thought it was going to work. I idolized cartoon and video game villains instead of boy bands and other celebrities.

Being a supervillain is just...part of my personality for some reason. I really don't know why, it just is.

There are those who are authoritarian as a result of the "duck test" since they support authoritarian rulers.

I've thought that a benevolent despot was the ideal ruler. But finding someone truly benevolent and having a way to get rid of that ruler when they are no longer benevolent are impossible.

Servant of the People. Because my lust for power would ensure that my Ministry of Truth lied about how despotic I really was. The title would be part of the lie.

To be honest, I'd do the opposite call myself something terrifying and edgy like "DOOMLORD SINNCUBUS, SEDUCER OF MOTHERS AND DESTROYER OF WORLDS" so people will just leave me alone.

 

[Laika]

Perhaps most significantly, I tend to blame the voters for the election results. Can you imagine that?

You'll have to ask me on December 13th when the UK finds out who will be our Prime Minister/Brexit Janitor. We've got a lot of cleaning up to do!

 

[Morningstar1312]

I think I’m about as far from authoritarian as one could be. I mean I’m an anarcho-communist, I’m not sure I could be more against authoritarianism.

 

[Revoltingest]

I think I’m about as far from authoritarian as one could be. I mean I’m an anarcho-communist, I’m not sure I could be more against authoritarianism.

Anarcho-capitalist.

 

[Woberts]

As a communist*, I feel like having a strong central government is essential following the overthrow and probable execution of the bourgeois.

*For reference, my personal philosophy is more or less Marx-Leninism with a healthy chunk of Maoism when landowners are involved. Add on top a sprinkling of the Cuban flavor and that's more or less it.

 

[Woberts]

Anarcho-capitalist.

Ancaps don't exist. The terms are incompatible.

 

[Morningstar1312]

Anarcho-capitalist.

And be subject to the authority of the capitalist class? No thanks

 

[Rival]

They call me Death's PA.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

My dream world would have big government, control mostly by groups but with Andrew Yang as the designated leader with none of that 4 year term stuff, everyone gets a wage and healthcare, the millionaires and beyond get taxed heavily, and allowing robots to take over our jobs as we focus on more creative pursuits.

Controversial, I know.

 

[Laika]

I'm not even kidding, I literally planned to conquer the world with cat videos and pizza when I was like 8, was mapping out the plan on a piece of cardboard with Crayola markers and explaining it to my plushie "minions". 100% serious with a straight face, thought it was going to work. I idolized cartoon and video game villains instead of boy bands and other celebrities.

No worries. I played risk obsessively as a kid and wanted to become a Russian dictator and conquer the world. I then realised this might start a nuclear war and could kill half the world's population and no-one would thank me even if I solved everyone's problems. And my favourite villain was Salem Saberhagen from Sabrina the Teenager Witch who was also intent on world conquest but got turned in to cat as punishment. I've liked cats ever since...

Now I'm older, given the only thing my parents ever talked about was political and history, I'm pretty certain this was a cry for attention.

"mommy, mommy, look! I conquered Africa like a racist! I'm special!"

 

[LuisDantas]

You'll have to ask me on December 13th when the UK finds out who will be our Prime Minister/Brexit Janitor. We've got a lot of cleaning up to do!

You tell me. I wish I could vote Lib Dem. But I fear that realistically the stuff will hit the fan big time even in the most optimistic scenarios.

 

[Sinncubus-74]

No worries. I played risk obsessively as a kid and wanted to become a Russian dictator and conquer the world. I then realised this might start a nuclear war and could kill half the world's population and no-one would thank me even if I solved everyone's problems. And my favourite villain was Salem Saberhagen from Sabrina the Teenager Witch who was also intent on world conquest but got turned in to cat as punishment. I've liked cats ever since...

Now I'm older, given the only thing my parents ever talked about was political and history, I'm pretty certain this was a cry for attention.

"mommy, mommy, look! I conquered Africa like a racist! I'm special!"

I used to have a cat that kind of resembled Salem, her name was Sabrina. The naming was entirely intentional.

 

[halbhh]

These are very strange times politically. If you think about it, we are seeing the rise of an authoritarian populism in many parts of the world yet pretty much no-one is willing to public identify as an authoritarian. It's like someone saying "I'm a racist" or "I'm a sexist". It just doesn't happen that often.

The Right say they are defending free speech from control by elites and liberating the people (or corporations) from "big government" and the Left say they are defending the rights of various oppressed or deprived minority groups or "freeing" poor people from socio-economic distress. Both tend to claim to support freedom of the press but only "alternative" media, not controlled by "elites". So What these groups have in common is actually the rhetoric of "freedom".

The number of those who openly profess to support totalitarian systems, such as Nazism, Fascism and Marxist-Leninist communism is remarkably small (and most of those who do are edgy teenagers who can't be taken seriously). Even as we may make comparisons with the 1930's and 1940's, there isn't a mass movement with the explicit intention of destroying democracy. It's weird to think that we've achieved to level of intellectual conformity of an authoritarian dictatorship without a central authority deciding what we can or cannot believe.

I know that Religiousforums.com is, a basically a free love commune of peace-loving hippies according to our political compass results, but I'm still curious is there is anyone out there who identifies as "authoritarian".

(Voted "Yes-somewhat authoritarian/it depends" as there are certain circumstances I think you need a strong central government to stay off social chaos, but not necessarily as a permanent or "ideal" arrangement.)

So, does anyone out there secretly long for an autocrat? or become one?

And just for fun and to keep it interesting- if you could be the ruler of a nation what would your title be? God Emperor? Master? Supreme Overlord of my little play things?

Only someone ruling with omniscience and genuinely full love for all would be able to be a good autocrat for adult subjects, really, in the long run.

And we know that only 1 Person alone was (and is) that way -- is widely believed to be up at that high a level of understanding and self-sacrificing love for others. We are talking at that level of Jesus of Nazareth, who was willing to die for the sake of the liberating truth and for perfect love for others.

But I know you mean today from other humans, a human leader of today, and so I definitely can answer that to be "no", because the inevitable corruption and subsequent crimes of human autocrats, though often hidden behind walls, kept from public view in the early stages, are really just as bad as the 'chaos' that happens in the open at times, temporarily.

 

[danieldemol]

And we know that only 1 Person alone was (and is) that way...

Speak for yourself. I personally have not found Jesus to be omniscient at all.